This invention is generally directed to utilization of high bandwidth channels available on existing cable television systems to serve personal computer users. This invention is more specifically directed to a system which is used to control the apparatus and method disclosed in the parent of the present apparatus. The apparatus and method of the parent application provides an intelligent split channel bridging unit which integrates and controls communications sent on high bandwidth downlink cable television channels with lower bandwidth bidirectional information sent to/from users over another media, such as the public switched telephone network.
It is an object of the invention of the present patent application to further increase the usefulness of the apparatus and method of the parent application by providing systems for controlling the use of the bidirectional low bandwidth channel and the unidirectional high bandwidth channel.